1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and a process for bonding a core member to a housing member and, more particularly, to a substantially automated process for bonding such members even in instances in which the members do not mate in a contiguous fashion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A particular application in which a core member is bonded to a housing resides in the assembly of land mines used by the military. Typically, a mine includes a core member with an outer shell of a composite material which encompasses explosive material and an arming device. This core member is then joined with a housing member composed of ABS-type (such as acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene) plastic material which serves in part as an outer protection for the mine.
Previously, mines and their associated housings were joined together, then bonded, using largely manual techniques. This exposed assembly personnel to considerable danger. Additionally, it was often difficult when using hand assembly techniques to maintain the consistent standards required by military specifications. Also, manual assembly was time-consuming and often times resulted in a low rate of production and accompanying high cost per unit.